A Mind Misplaced
by ConstanceScully
Summary: Minerva McGonagall had been forced into this dinner. Forced to reconnect with her dear old school friend who she hadn't seen in person for over two years. Forced into a dress rather than her more practical robes. Forced to take her time to eat a decent hot meal. Forced to sit still and relax for an hour or two. Forced to take a night off. First HG/MM.
1. Chapter 1

Minerva McGonagall had been forced into this dinner. Forced to reconnect with her dear old school friend who she hadn't seen in person for over two years. Forced into a dress rather than her more practical, comfortable robes. Forced to take her time to eat a decent hot meal. Forced to sit still and relax for an hour or two. Forced to take a night off.

Ha! Try and tell her brain that.

It wouldn't shut up, even now running through endless information and potential leads, names and sightings, interrogations and new plans of action.

"Minerva?"

She looked up, startled out of her swirling thoughts to see her companion for the evening, standing by her chair, arm outstretched waiting on her taking off her wrap and moving to sit down.

"I apologise Edward. I'm distracted. It's not an excuse however, you are only in the country for tonight and then you'll take off half way around the world again. Forgive me, tell me what you have been up to in the last two years."

"Don't fret about it Minerva." He held out Minerva's chair moving it in as she sat down before sitting down himself. "I know you've had an incredibly busy couple of years. Headmistress of Hogwarts now eh, quite the responsibility? You did pronounce in our first year you would one day run the school."

Minerva blushed slightly, moving her hand to cover her embarrassed face. "Oh Merlin, I did, didn't I?!" She flashed back to a gangly 12 year old with raven pigtails and gangly frame professing to her friends that when she was running the school there would be more than two choices of dessert at dinner and an upgrade to a full size quidditch pitch whilst lecturing them that they were not taking their end of year exams seriously enough and to get memorising potions ingredients.

"Well, it's not all it's cracked up to be, let me tell you the daily correspondence is enough to send anyone to an early grave, now I know how Albus always had enough fuel for his fire, his portrait has confided to me he used to burn at least three-quarters of it."

"You know I'm not surprised, and he would have gotten away with it sheerly though his eccentricities. However I know that's not all you have on your mind right now." Minerva looked at him questioningly. "Poppy wrote and told me what's been going on and how stressed out you've been."

Minerva just glared at him.

"And she also gave me orders to make you talk about anything else other than that subject for at least the length of dinner and to ensure you have a glass of wine or two to let those shoulders relax a little."

"Oh, she did, did she? That meddlesome witch! I swear her mothering will be the death of me."

"Mmhmmm, well I have to follow a mediwitches advice now don't I?" He signalled to one of the waitresses. "It's practically law."

"Hmmmm." She voiced showing her obvious disapproval. "Well while you do, you are going to fill me in what you've been up to in America for the last 2 years, you are the only other transfiguration master I actually respect and you have published nothing recently which means you are working on something good." He smirked at her.

"Maybe I am…"

"I knew it! Come on, do enlighten me."

"Good evening, my name is Anna and I shall be serving you. Would you like some drinks to start?"

Minerva's eyes snapped up quicker than it would have been thought possible. She just stared, mind at a standstill, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Time seemed as if it had screeched to a halt but apparently not as she became aware of the attention turning to her and her name being called.

"Minerva? Are you alright? She asked if you'd like a drink? Wine? Red? White?" Edward asked reaching forward to grasp her hand. Minerva never took her eyes from the waitress but forced her lips to move and form a single word.

"Hermione?"

She was vaguely aware of Edward gasping softly then subtly casting a silencing charm around the three, protection against the rest of the muggle restaurant they were seated in.

"Excuse me ma'am?"

"Hermione? It's me, Minerva." She frowned at seeing the confused and slightly fearful look on her protege's face.

"Is... is that my name? Hermione?"

* * *

 _AN: Okay so first ever HG/MM story, hell it's my first Harry Potter story so a tad nervous. And on top of all that I usually have a story mostly written before posting but I've had some gentle nudging to get this up. I know this one was short but it's where I really wanted to end it. Promise later chapters will be longer. Would love some reviews. Enjoy! xx_


	2. Chapter 2

_"Is... is that my name? Hermione?"_

Minerva just gaped at her. She didn't know what to do. She, Minerva McGonagall, was uncharacteristically confused and it scared the hell out of her.

"I'm sorry?"

"Is Hermione my name? I've wondered for so long."

"You don't know your name?" Edward asked gently.

"I, well, I go by Anna, but that's just something the doctors took to calling me, I couldn't stand Jane."

"Jane?" Minerva cut in, even more confused, there were now too many names floating around.

"Jane Doe, they didn't know who I was, no ID."

"It's what muggles call an unknown person Minerva, Jane Doe for an female, John Doe for a male." Edward explained calmly to his long time friend.

"Muggle?"

Both Edward and Minerva's eyes snapped back to the young woman standing before them.

"Hermione, I mean Anna, no I mean…" Minerva sighed, "I'm sorry, but what do you remember?"

"Before waking up in hospital? Not a bloody thing. Please, just tell me, do you know who I am?!" The young woman now had tears glistening in her eyes.

"Yes my dear. I know who you are, and I've been looking for you for over a year." Hermione's notepad and pen slipped from her grasp, she was visibly trembling now. Edward stood, moving towards her side stretching a hand to her shoulder.

"Excuse me, is there a problem?" The hostess of the restaurant appeared at the table bending down to pick up the dropped items. A few eyes from nearby tables we now watching them. Edward twitched his hand in his pocket cancelling the charm now that they were the centre of attention anyway. "Anna?"

"They know me. Paula, they know who I am." Hermione whispered to her boss.

"You do?!" The hostess turned to Edward for confirmation.

"Well my companion knows her better than I do, but yes."

Minerva had by this point risen to her feet, snapping out of her stupor and stepped towards her protege and pulled her into her arms, enveloping her in warmth and holding her tight. Hermione froze at the contact, unused to anyone touching her, it wasn't like she had family or close friends to hug often or curl up next to on the sofa for comfort. After a few seconds though she relaxed, melting into the embrace, tears now streaming from her eyes silently, realising she had missed this, missed human contact.

The hostess now began fumbling at the keys attached to her waist, unclipping one set from the bunch. She moved to where Anna could see her over Minerva's shoulder.

"Anna?" The sobbing woman's eyes opened. She pressed the set of keys into the waitress' hand. "Sweetheart, go up to the flat, take your…" she faltered, not knowing who these people were, "friends with you, take as long as you need, you're not working any more tonight, sort everything out." She turned to Edward. "I realise you were here for a meal, I'll send someone up with some food and refreshments for you, on the house."

"You are most kind ma'am, thank you."

"Not at all, I'm just glad she's found someone who she used to know. She's been alone for too long." She glanced at the two women still clamped together as if they would never see each other again if they let go. "Someone who obviously cares for her."

"More than you know." Edward replied. "Minerva's been looking for that girl for a long time now." Paula nodded. "Now which way to the flat?"

"Right outside, first door to your left." Edward nodded and moved placing a hand on each of the hugging ladies backs and ushered them towards the door and away from the blatant stares now coming from every corner of the restaurant due to the scene.

* * *

Hermione fumbled with the keys once outside the door adjacent to the restaurant. She couldn't find the right key for the outer door, dammit why wouldn't her fingers work?! Then the keys completely fell from her grasp and clattered to the ground. She bent to pick them up but a set of male fingers beat her to it.

"I can do it sweetheart." Hermione nodded. Edward turned towards the doors playing with the keys to create the jangling whilst twitching his wand and whispering "Alohomora." The door opened to a set of lit stairs, Edward made his way up and got the next door unlocked much like the first. He let the two women pass and Hermione led them into a compact but cosy living room.

"This is my boss' flat, she likes to be close to the restaurant. Um, could you excuse me for just a second, I just…"

"Of course." Edward replied.

Hermione went back through the door to the hall, into the bathroom and after closing and locking the door, leaned against it. She drew a great shuddering breath and let it out slowly, attempting to calm herself, control the swell of emotion which was pressurising her chest. She had lived in a world of utter confusion for months and whilst she had no idea who the people tworooms away were, the sense of home she had felt whilst hugging the woman had been the best moment that she could remember. Crossing to the sink and turning on the cold tap she splashed some water on her face. Looking in the mirror she tried to tame her hair which was always relentlessly bushy.

She stared at her face, always a surprise looking into the mirror at someone she didn't know. "Hermione." She whispered, trying out the name. Unusual, but that same sense of familiarity she had felt whilst hugging the older woman swept over her, she didn't love it but it did seem right. Hermione What she didn't know but she supposed she'd soon find out and so pulling together every scrap of courage she possessed she left the bathroom.

* * *

 _AN: I have to thank each and every single one of you who left a review, followed or favourited this story or myself after the first chapter, the response was more than I could have dreamed of and my phone spent 2 full days happily pinging away making me smile every time. It really does mean a lot and gives me the encouragement to try and figure out where on earth I am going to take it. This is another shortish chapter but I hate padding things out for the sake of it so the chapters in this story will be pretty irregular in length depending purely on the scene. Thanks again and enjoy!_


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as Hermione had left the room Minerva sank onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands.

"Minerva?"

"I'm alright," she choked out, "I'm fine."

"No you're not and you have every right not to be." He moved beside her placing an arm around her shoulders.

"A waitress Edward! That lass, the brightest young witch I have ever encountered, top of every subject we teach, a bloody war hero, should not be a waitress in a muggle restaurant! Oh gods, she asked what a muggle was. She doesn't know, she doesn't know what she is! How on earth, what do we tell her?!"

"Minerva, calm down, you panicking is not going to help her." At that moment the bathroom door clicked and they could hear soft footsteps heading back up the hall. The door creaked open slightly and the woman in question sidled back in, she crossed to the armchair and perched on the edge.

"I'm sorry I've forgotten your name, I know you said it downstairs but I don't remember," Hermione apologised.

"It's Minerva dear, and this is Edward." Hermione nodded.

"And my name, what's my last name?" Minerva's heart broke a little more, unable to conceive how lost she must have felt. Must still be feeling now.

"Granger, Hermione Jean Granger." She could see her whispering the words to herself, as if willing herself to remember. At that moment the front door clicked and Paula walked into the living room seconds later.

"Don't mind me, I'm just bringing up the promised food, I'll pop it in the oven to keep warm for whenever you're ready. Take as long as you need, I'm staying with Ray tonight anyway. Just pop the keys through the postbox when you're done, I have a spare set, or feel free to stay the night if you want? Anna?" Hermione glanced back up to her boss.

"It's Hermione apparently." The whispered words barely audible. Paula knelt in front of her grasping her hands.

"Do you want me to stay with you honey?"

"No, no I'll be OK. You need to run the restaurant.. oh you're short staffed now, I'll come back down, I'll…"

"No, you stay here, I've called Emily, she'll be there in 5. Don't worry. Sort out what you need to."

"Thank you." Paula got up and turned to go.

"I'm right downstairs if you need me OK?" She received a nod in answer and with that turned and left after receiving a reassuring smile and nod from the older man which she took to mean he would take care of both Anna and the older woman next to him who seemed to be in a similar state of emotional upheaval.

Hermione looked up at the woman across from her once again, studying her face, searching for recognition.

"How do I know you?"

"I was your Professor."

"Professor as in teacher?"

"Er yes."

"You too?" She directed towards Edward.

"No, actually this is the first time we have met in person, but I know of you and who you are."

"So you don't work at the school?"

"No."

"Hermione," Minerva drew her attention, cutting in, "perhaps this would be easier if you told us what you know, what happened, how you got here?"

"There really isn't much to tell you, just over 9 months ago I woke up in hospital, I didn't know who I was, or what happened, or anyone around me. I couldn't answer any questions the doctors or the police asked me. It was about 3 months before I was well enough to leave the hospital, one of the nurses, Abbey, took pity on me and let me stay with her rather than the halfway house the social worker was offering. I'm actually still staying with her, she is friends with Paula who offered me work in the restaurant, they've both been wonderful, absolute angels, I will never be able to repay them. I also work part time in a library, I'm trying to save a little each month to do a book restoration course next year while I work."

Minerva smiled. "You always did love books. You somehow managed to persuade the school librarian to let you take out more books than students are normally allowed out on loan. How you managed it I will never know, she is rather strict and protective over her volumes."

"Did I? Well I suppose that hasn't changed. I've read everything Abbey owns. And that's about it really. That's all I know. I've been going to by Anna Smith, not a very creative surname I know but well, they needed something for their records."

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry I couldn't find you." Minerva had tears shining in her eyes again, one of them spilling out over her cheek.

"What did happen to me?"

"I don't know. You vanished. Disappeared into thin air and I couldn't find you. I tried, I've been searching for over a year now."

"What about my… do I have any family?"

Minerva faultered, she knew this question was going to come up and didn't know any way to soften the answer.

"I met your parents once, when you were eleven, before you came to school. I went the house after you disappeared but they're not there anymore, there's a young couple with toddler twin boys living there now. I'm sorry, it's not what you want to hear but I don't know where they are. They never told us of a change of address or where they were going. I tried to trace a contact back through the sale, spoke to the solicitors who sold the house but the paperwork has all gone, no record of your parents ever owning the house or you being there. I thought I could trace them to find you but I can't find anything to do with Rupert or Jean Granger anywhere, no birth certificates or marriage certificates. I couldn't even find your birth certificate. They were your only family listed in your school records, you don't have any siblings I am aware of."

Hermione felt like her heart was being ripped into two. the past 9 months of hope had been based on the fact that when she remembered who she was or was found, she would find her family and have a home. But she didn't have that, no parents to claim her, no brothers or sisters to comfort her. She was still alone. The familiar tendrils of panic began to creep into her system, the stress finally overcoming her control. This hadn't happened in months but there it was, the fire beginning to burn in her fingertips, in her toes, spreading along her limbs. Her teeth clamped together with the agony of it. She could no longer hold herself upright but slumped back into the armchair, completely tensed up.

"Hermione!"

She was aware of Minerva's concerned cry, somewhat muffled by the blood pounding in her ears. Her back arched from the chair, her muscles contracting of their own accord, each and every one burning excruciatingly.

"Hermione! What's wrong?! Speak to me please!"

She could barely hear the woman, she forced her jaws to unclench, a whimper escaping.

"It's fine." She ground out. "It happens." She became aware of a hand on her own. She focused on the comfort, the warmth. That hand and arm stopped burning quite so much as the rest. "It'll be over in a minute." She breathed. The hand never left her own, the muscles from that arm relaxing, spreading, providing relief slowly through her body until she was left panting, eyes closed as she recovered her breath, a heavy mass unable to sit up straight until she fully recovered.

After a few deep breaths she peeled her eyes open. Minerva was kneeling right in front of her looking rather pale herself, eyes endless pools of worry. Edward standing behind her looking equally concerned.

"I'm OK." She rasped. "Thank you."

"What happened?"

"When I'm stressed I have these attacks, my muscles tense and burn. It hasn't happened in months, I thought they'd gone away."

"You need to see a hea…. a doctor."

"I have, they started when I was in hospital, maybe before I don't remember. The doctors don't know what it is or how to stop it. Their best guess is it's a manifestation of dealing with whatever put me in hospital in the first place."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing, I just, I get really tired after." Her eyes were already drooping.

"Do you want me to take you home, are you sure we shouldn't go to a hospital?"

"No, I don't need a hospital, I'll just rest my eyes a bit here, just, don't go without leaving me a number to contact you on. I need…"

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here, just sleep." Hermione's eyes fully shut, her breath evening out. Edward moved to her side sliding a hand beneath her back and under her knees lifting her gently from where she had slumped in the armchair and laying her on the couch, conjuring a blanket from thin air and draping it over her. She never even stirred.

* * *

 _A/N: I'm sorry it took so long for this. I recently moved and am trying to get my house livable. Thanks for the overwhelming support I have received for this so far. I love every review, follow or favourite, you are all amazing._


	4. Chapter 4

"She needs to see Poppy, or go to St Mungo's." Minerva said, still kneeling on the floor beside the armchair.

"Minerva, she doesn't know about our world, how is she going to react when someone starts waving a stick over her, or we vanish from thin air and reappear in a hospital?"

"Well then, what do we do?"

"Stay with her, somehow break it to her what she is without setting off another attack, get her to a healer." Edward pulled out his wand and a tea service appeared on the coffee table before them. He proceeded to make a cup of very sugary tea and pressed it into Minerva's hands. "I know you won't want the food that's in the kitchen Minerva but if you don't drink that tea I will force it down your throat." Minerva peeled her eyes from the deeply asleep form on the sofa and looked down at the cup in her hands with some amount of surprise. She brought it to her lips and sipped. The warmth seeped down into her stomach pleasantly making the world of difference.

"I just can't believe she's right there."

"I know."

"She's so lost."

"I know."

"I have to help her."

"I know."

They lapsed into silence, sipping tea and keeping vigil over the sleeping woman. Edward left to go downstairs and tell Paula what had happened to Hermione, feeling that one of the women who had helped take care of her for the past 9 months should know. Paula had come up to check on her, needing to see for herself that she was alright and heading to call Abbey and let her know. Minerva and Edward promised to stay with Hermione and not leave her alone. After an hour Edward went to retrieve some of the food from the kitchen, a lovely lasagne and brought enough for two back into the living room.

"Please Minerva, eat just a little, you can't have eaten since lunchtime." Minerva glanced at the food surprised to find she was indeed hungry now she thought about it.

"Oh Edward, I'm so sorry about all of this, you just wanted dinner and a catch up, not…" She stopped as Edward held up his hands.

"Minerva don't you dare try and apologise again, plus we are eating dinner are we not? And partly solved what has consumed your time for the last year and I already know you were just trying to keep the school together and the children safe for the year before that. See caught up! Well I am anyway. You'll just have to live with some curiosity for a bit."

Hermione let out a little sigh and rolled over snuggling against the burgundy blanket. They both returned to watching over her.

"Poppy, it's Poppy we need to get her to."

"Hmmm?"

"If we take her to St Mungo's everyone will know, she'll be surrounded by her friends, the Weasleys, the Ministry, the press, the entire Wizarding World. It'll be too much."

"I agree, but she still needs to know about us before Poppy can do anything."

"I don't know how to do this."

"Of course you do, you told her when she was younger."

"But she was a child, so much more able to digest and accept something like that. The mind of a twenty year old is vastly different to an eleven year old. I don't know how to tell her this time."

"Tell me what?" Came a sleepy murmur from the sofa.

"Are you ok? What do you need? Can I get you anything?"

"You can tell me what you're keeping from me." Hermione pushed herself up with a moan due to protesting muscles. She rubbed her face trying to wake up enough to concentrate and press her point.

"I'm not…"

"Don't try and tell me you're not keeping anything, you have been guarded and careful with your words since I met you and you've come out with a couple of strange terms I've never heard of. Just tell me."

"But what about the attack, I don't want you to go through that again."

"I won't, it's never happened twice in the same day, I'm fine." Minerva looked at her studying her face for a sign it was alright. She sighed.

"Give me your hands."

"What? Why?"

"Just have a little faith. I promise I won't hurt you." Hermione nervously stretched out her hands placing them in the older woman's who was on the ground in front of her. Minerva gave them a light squeeze of reassurance and closed her eyes in concentration. Hermione could feel a warmth emanating up her arms, not the burning which signalled an attack but a light comforting warmth, like a glow. She went to retract her arms in surprise but Minerva was ready for her and tightened her grasp, keeping eye contact with her to let her know it was alright. The glow expanded travelling through her body making her feel as if she were drifting. Closing her eyes she could see a golden light behind her sensation felt like home, it was right, it was like she had been missing it without knowing what she was missing.

Minerva released the younger womans hands and watched as the magic swirling around her dissipated and her eyes slowly opened again a content smile on her face.

"What was that? It was amazing."

"It was your magic, I reactivated it."

"My what?!"

"When you were eleven years old I came to visit you and your parents to tell you that a place had been reserved for you at a special kind of school. A school for magic, and you came in the September of that year, and spent six years studying with us. You are possibly the most talented witch of your generation." Hermione looked from Minerva to Edward who was nodding in agreement.

"Is this a joke? It's really not funny, just because I may not be aware of my past does not make me an idiot to be taken the mickey out of." She jumped up, stumbling a little due to her still aching muscles. She backed away to the other side of the room, wide eyed, wary of the two who had not moved an inch, who she had thought she could trust. Apparently not.

"I swear on my life I am not making fun of you Hermione. I'm trying to help you."

"I don't believe you." Hermione choked out, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks, the warmth and comfort she had felt moments before completely gone, replaced by fear. "It can't be, it's not possible. I thought you were going to help me."

"What about this?" Edward cut in, he pulled his wand from his pocket. Hermione gasped and backed further away. "I promise I won't hurt you Hermione, I just want to show you something I won't touch you." He slowly leaned forward and picked up the glass from the table and tapped it with his wand murmuring something. The glass began to fill from the bottom with water. If possible Hermione's eyes grew even bigger.

"It's just a trick, an illusion, and before, you must have given me something to make me feel like that. Magic is not real!" She was fumbling for the doorknob to the hallway now.

"Okay, okay just wait." Minerva pleaded, standing up slowly. Hermione had hold of the door handle now, twisting it, opening it. Minerva took a deep breath and morphed into her tabby cat. Hermione froze.

"Meow?"

Hermione shut her eyes whispering to herself "It's just a hallucination, it's just a hallucination, it's just a hallucination…" over and over. Her breathing growing ever more rapid.

"No, I promise you it's real Hermione," Edward pleaded gently, "Minerva took her animal form. No tricks. How could that possibly be a trick?"

Hermione forced her eyes open towards the tabby cat, still whispering to herself, her cheeks stained with tears. Minerva slowly started to pad towards the petrified young woman keeping eye contact, willing her trust from animal form.

"No! No stay away. I can't, I don't, I…" She crumpled at that moment, sliding against the wall towards the floor, her mind unwilling to have to process any more that night.

"Shit." Edward swore hurrying towards the girl past Minerva who was already morphing back. Just as they reached her she began to convulse, her muscles going rigid once again, not content to just last a few seconds this time she carried on writhing and twitching.

"She needs Poppy now!" Minerva stretched her hand out as if to grab her for apparition.

"Minerva no!" If you take her in this state, she'll splinch, you'll splinch!. Give it a minute, see if it subsides."

"Alright, alright, just let me try something." She grasped Hermione's hands forcing her own magic out and into Hermione, willing it to heal the trauma and stop the convulsions. The twitching slowed, and finally stopped.

"That's enough Minerva. I don't need you passed out too. She's stopped now." Minerva moved from her crouch backwards so she was fully sitting on the ground. Edward went back to the table and picked up the glass of water he had conjured only minutes before and held it out to a now rather pale Minerva whose hands trembled as she took it gratefully. "That was stupid Minerva, even mediwitches only use that if they absolutely have to. You're damn lucky you're so powerful."

"We need to go to Poppy." Minerva reached out to touch Hermione again but Edward grabbed her hand before she got there.

"I'll take her, you barely have enough strength to get yourself there, I would take you too if I could. Hogwarts yes?" Minerva nodded. Edward moved forwards and picked up the young woman for the second time that night, holding her against his chest. "I see you there in a moment."

* * *

 _AN: Once again you are all the best, loving the follows, favourites and most of all the reviews. Reviews make me happy! Now I'd better go write some more because I am going to run out of pre written stuff rather soon._


	5. Chapter 5

Edward arrived still holding Hermione against him, he looked down towards her but she didn't so much as stir, completely out of it. He heard the crack of apparition and Minerva appeared next to him and promptly sunk to her knees. Edward crouched next to her shifting Hermione so she was almost sitting on his knee, his other hand still holding her to him. He used his free hand to grasp Minerva's.

"How much did you give her Minerva?! Come on, I need you to open the gates. Can you stand?" Minerva nodded and used Edward's hand to help her up. She moved towards the towering gates laying her hand upon the metal which recognised her magical signature and clicked open. Edward straightened adjusting Hermione's position again.

"I'm seriously reconsidering the anti-apparition wards within Hogwarts at this moment." Minerva ground out.

"Here." He stuck his elbow out as far as he could whilst his forearm was still beneath Hermione's knees. "Lean on me."

"You're already carrying Hermione Edward."

"I cast a featherlight charm on her before I even picked her up. I am a wizard you know." Minerva let out a tired chuckle and slipped her arm through his elbow, leaning against him more than she had intended and they began the trudge up to the castle.

Minerva and Edward entered the softly lit infirmary, it was empty due to the summer holidays and there was no sign of Poppy. Minerva headed towards the matron's office, Edwards trailing slowly behind. Rounding the door she found the mediwitch asleep over a stack of paperwork. "Poppy?" she called softly.

Poppy jumped awake. "What? What's wrong? Minerva?! What happened? You look terrible!"

"I'm fine. I need your help Poppy, it's not me." She was already leading the matron out of her office and into the main ward where Edward still had Hermione in his arms.

"What on earth? Who…?"

"I found her Poppy."

The mediwitch glanced open-mouthed at Minerva before stepping towards the pair.

"Hermione?! Oh, thank Merlin. What happened?!" She gestured for Edward to lay Hermione down on the nearest bed."

"She was the waitress at the muggle restaurant we were in." Edward answered. "She has no memory of who she is, there's something wrong with her muscles, she had a seizure." Poppy was already waving her wand over the younger woman in a series of complex circles and swishes. "Poppy do you have any chocolate for Minerva?" Minerva had perched on the edge of the next bed by this point. Poppy glanced at Minerva without even pausing her incantations.

"Just stay right there I'm coming to look at you next."

"I don't need… just concentrate on her." Minerva said tiredly. Poppy carried on working reading the diagnostic swirls of magic coming from her wand and Hermione, her lips pinching and becoming thinner with each one. Eventually she gave her wand a final flick and all trace of magic disappeared. She headed back towards her office and came back with an armful of vials and resources. She poured two of the vials into Hermione's mouth gently massaging her throat and then rounded the bed towards Minerva.

"What's wrong with her?" Asked Minerva who had been watching on concerned for the last five minutes.

"I have given her a strong muscle relaxant as some of her muscles are still cramping and a low level pain potion to remove the aches that will undoubtedly be there after a seizure. Now what have you done to yourself, you look like death warmed up." Poppy gently lifted Minerva's head staring into her eyes which almost looked bruised judging by the purple rings surrounding them.

"She performed _donata_." Edward supplied. Poppy tsked.

"You should know better than that Minerva." She scolded.

"It stopped the seizure didn't it?"

"Well yes, but it would have stopped on it's own anyway. Edward you were right, chocolate and sleep." She handed Minerva the chocolate. "Now would you like some dreamless sleep?"

"I'm not going to sleep now, not when…"

"She is going to be out of it until at least morning Minerva, you can't stay awake that long so you might as well sleep now and be awake for her when she needs it."

"But…"

"You can stay right there, sleep in the next bed to her."

"Minerva you barely made the walk up here." Edward added to the gentle persuasion. "Rest up, she's going to need you." Minerva sighed knowing she was beaten. Poppy held out the vial of dreamless sleep.

"I don't think I need it. Poppy, don't tell anyone else. Not yet." She shuffled back and lay against the pillows and was out like a light before Poppy could so much as pull a blanket over her.

* * *

 _AN: Ok I have two apologies, one for the length of time this update has taken, I've never had a two month break when posting stories before and the other for it being a short one, but the good news is the next section is already twice as long and it's not finished yet. However, I hope you enjoy and please review and give me some inspiration because right now I have no idea where this is going to go!_


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